USAP’s Commitment to Patients
Delivering safe, personalized anesthesia care—every time, for every patient.
At USAP, patient care is at the center of everything we do. From pre-operative preparation through recovery, our clinicians are dedicated to ensuring a safe, comfortable experience tailored to each individual. We combine clinical expertise with a compassionate approach, working closely with your care team to deliver the highest standard of anesthesia services.
Extraordinary Care
Personalized Attention
Professional Service
USAP IN 2025
2.6M
Patients Served
87,856
Emergency & Trauma Cases
222,081
Infant Deliveries
8,022
Charity Cases
Anesthesia and you.
Anesthesia 101
USAP’s anesthesiology professionals work closely with your physician and surgeon to make your surgical experience as positive as possible. Our commitment to providing high-quality anesthesia care and creating a positive experience for you is always our top priority.
We want you to go into your surgery feeling comfortable and relaxed. Review our Patient Guidebook, “Preparing for your Procedure,” to help you know what to expect before, during, and afterward. If you don’t find answers to your questions here, please contact us.
Types of Anesthesia
The goal of anesthesia is to administer medications through various techniques to assure your comfort and safety during a surgical procedure. The clinician will maintain constant monitoring and vigilance to assess your response to both the surgery and anesthetic.
General anesthesia
General anesthesia is achieved through a combination of intravenous medications injected through an IV in your vein and/or inhalational agents (gases) you will breathe through a mask or breathing tube. General anesthesia provides a total loss of consciousness and pain control so you will not be aware of sensation or pain during your procedure. It is the most common type of anesthesia technique.
Regional anesthesia
Regional anesthesia blocks pain to a specific area of your body. Your anesthesia clinician injects medication near a targeted nerve, cluster of nerves or the spinal cord. You may also receive medication to help you relax during your procedure. Two main types of regional anesthesia are:
Peripheral nerve blocks:
This type of block targets a specific nerve or group of nerves most commonly for procedures on hands, arms, feet, legs or face.
Epidural or spinal anesthesia:
This is an injection for nerves in the spinal canal that blocks pain for a large area of the body such as the abdomen, hips or legs
Monitored Anesthesia Care or Procedural (MAC) / Conscious Sedation
MAC involves IV medication to help you relax and reduce pain. You will not be completely “out” but can be very sleepy. For more detailed information on several anesthesia topics, visit the When Seconds Count website created by the American Society of Anesthesiologists: www.asahq.org/whensecondscount
Preparing for Your Procedure.
We’re here to help you feel informed, prepared, and at ease.
Knowing what to expect, and what to do ahead of time, can make all the difference.
Proper preparation is an important part of your care. Following guidance on medications, fasting, and day-of logistics helps reduce risks and supports a safe, effective anesthesia experience.
Anesthesia and the safety of your baby.
Expert anesthesia care designed to protect both mother and baby.
We know this is a very special time for you and your family and we are honored to be part of this amazing life event. USAP is a group of highly experienced clinicians dedicated to providing an individualized plan of care for the safety of you and your baby.
We understand that every woman’s labor and level of pain is unique and many factors contribute to the level of pain relief you might require. Some women prefer natural comfort measures (breathing or relaxation techniques), others choose pain medication and many choose a combination of both. The physician-led anesthesia team will start with assessing your overall health and preferences to provide the best labor pain relief options for you.
I have three kids of my own, so I understand how vulnerable that moment can feel. I remember the anesthesia providers who cared for me and how they eased my fears—and I strive to do that for every mom I work with.
Kelly Lock, CRNA
USAP Maryland
- Regional Anesthesia/Epidural Blocks – This technique tends to be the most common and effective method of pain relief during labor. Epidurals provide pain relief without total loss of feeling or muscle movement and you remain awake and alert. This requires placement of a soft catheter in your back to inject the numbing medication with onset in about 10-20 minutes. It provides a continuous infusion of medication for pain relief throughout your labor.
- Spinal Block – This is another form of regional analgesia and entails a single injection in the lower back that provides relief almost instantly and lasts approximately 1-2 hours. Spinal blocks are often used for C-sections
- General Anesthesia – General anesthetics provide complete unconsciousness. You will not be awake or feel pain. This technique is used when regional anesthesia is not possible such as in the event of an emergency C-section or when a regional block is contraindicated for medical reasons
- Local Anesthesia – Local anesthesia provides numbness or loss of sensation in a small area where the medication is directly injected. This is used by the obstetrician for pain relief if stitches are needed after the birth of your baby
Anesthesia and your children.
Pediatric Anesthesiology
We understand that going through a surgical procedure can be unsettling for children and their families. The idea that your child will be sedated for a medical procedure may be unnerving and stressful for you. We want to assure you that your child will be in experienced and caring hands. We will do everything possible to comfort you and your family during this experience.
We have a dynamic and dedicated pediatric anesthesia team. We have recruited physicians who have completed specialty training in pediatric care, including pediatric fellowships, which makes them uniquely qualified to care for your most precious possession — your children. Our highly trained clinicians vigilantly care for your child with the safest medications and modern medical equipment available today. We are dedicated to comforting your child and ensuring their safety to the highest standards throughout the operative process.
It is a privilege to be entrusted by families with the anesthetic care of their infants and children. It's hard to imagine anything more rewarding.
Rebecca Lowery, MD
USAP-Colorado
I am committed to being open-minded and open-hearted. It’s important that I treat each child and their family as unique — they have their own concerns, their own story and their own hopes. I try to be in their shoes and see things from their perspective.
Marion "Red" Starks, MD
USAP- North Texas
I’m a parent as well as a physician, so it is important to me that all aspects of each child’s procedure are as safe and comfortable as possible. I care deeply and treat each child in my care as if they were one of my own kids.
Frederick Mansfield, MD
USAP-Florida
We believe it is important for you to have the opportunity to talk with the clinician that will be caring for your child. Prior to the procedure, you will be able to meet with the anesthesia clinician who will be caring for your child. This is an important conversation where you can ask questions, share more about your child’s needs and history, and obtain a full understanding of the anesthesia process for your child.
- These recommendations apply to healthy pediatric patients who are undergoing elective procedures
- Following the guidelines does not guarantee complete stomach emptying
- Meals that include fried or fatty foods or meat may increase the amount of time it takes the stomach to empty. Additional fasting time (e.g., 8 hours or more) may be needed in these cases. Your doctor will instruct you if this is needed
- If your child eats or drinks too close to the time of the procedure, it is possible the procedure will have to be re-scheduled for safety reasons
Working with your care team.
Caring for you before, during and after your procedure.
Every patient’s care is a sacred trust. We’re privileged to be a partner in your care and humbled by our responsibility to take excellent care of you in your most vulnerable moments.
USAP clinicians include anesthesiologists, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), and Certified Anesthesia Assistants (CAA). They are advocates for your health. We work with you to ease your stress, keep you comfortable and provide the best possible experience for you before, during and after your surgical procedure.
Individualized Anesthesia Care
The anesthesia team at USAP is dedicated to assuring your comfort and safety during your surgical procedure. Over the years, advances in anesthesia types and techniques have dramatically improved how a patient feels after their surgery. However, anesthesia medications can remain in your system for a day or so after administration and you may feel some effects until they are completely eliminated.
We spend a lot of time and focus getting patients through surgery safely and comfortably. Here are the different ways we help you along the way:
- In-depth study of your health status, which often includes ordering indicated testing
- Given your profile and status, selection of the most appropriate anesthetic techniques and drugs
- Administering of anesthetics
- Constant patient monitoring throughout your procedure
- Monitoring supporting or controlling your breathing
- Making any corrective changes as needed to control blood pressure, pulse, temperature
- Administering all types of fluids and transfusions
- Administering all the in-OR drugs as needed (for example antibiotics, blood thinners, etc.)
- Continuously adjusting the anesthetic depth as indicated by the patient’s response
- Waking you up carefully, smoothly and comfortably
- Oversee your progress in the Recovery Room to ensure that all is well
Preparing for Your Procedure.
Please Note: The information provided on this website is for information and educational purposes only and does not take the place of consultation with one’s physician. The information provided is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatments, and does not establish a physician-patient relationship. Users of this website are urged to seek advice, diagnosis or treatment for any health conditions from licensed professionals.
